Means for locking closures to containers



y 11951 J. G. MAITLAND 2,551,499

MEANS FOR LOCKING CLOSURES TO CONTAINERS Filed Feb. 5, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 l I all/Al t ii'q,

i l ohnGwgM I I \NVENTOE Will/11. 1 11 I y 1951 J. G. MAITLAND 2 ,551,499

MEANS FOR LOCKING CLOSURES TO CONTAINERS F iled Feb. 5, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 30H N 5 MNTLANDY \NVEN Patented May l, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MEANS FOR LOCKING CLOSURES TO CONTAINERS John Gibb Maitland, Rutherglen, Scotland 5 Claims.

This invention relates to containers and closures therefor of the type wherein detent means on the one projects therefrom towards the other and an apertured part on the other has an aperture positioned to be engaged by said detent means when the closure'is placed on the container.

The chief object of the present invention is to provide simple and efficient means whereby unauthorised removal of the closure from the container is conclusively evident.

I will now describe some embodiments of the invention, simply by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, whereon:

Fig. 1 is an external elevation, taken at a corner of a container and showing part of a closure in accordance with the present invention, applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a cross section on the line II-II, Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an external elevation of part of the upper part of the container, taken on the line IlIIII, Fig. 2, to a reduced scale.

Fig. 4 is an elevation externally of part of the closure when removed from the container, and taken in the direction of the arrow IV, Fig. 2, to a reduced scale.

Fig. 5 is a section corresponding to Fig. 2, but of a modified detent arrangement.

Figs. 6 and 7 are elevations in the direction of the arrow IV, Fig. 5, of the carrier for the detent, and of a replaceable detent, respectively.

Referring to Figs. 1-4 of the drawings, the container 8 has a closure 9 applied thereto, said closure having an outer flange I and having secured thereto an inner flange II. Inner flange II is secured to the closure 9 in a manner either removable from the inside or permanently. The parts are shown connected by screw and lock nuts I2 but may be secured in any suitable manner for example by rivets or by welding.

The upper end of container 8 has a downwardly bent flange I3 having an aperture III therein and said flange is maintained at the. required spacing from the main part of the container by a distance piece I secured thereto, for example, by welding, having an aperture I6 in line with a corresponding aperture to in the container 8.

Flange II is provided with a partly punched out detent I! having an aperture I8, and the detent may be formed by using a punch having an oblique end face which cuts out the detent from the surrounding metal around the majority of its periphery, the remainder serving to maintain the detent in position as at I'm.

In applying the closure to the container, when the closure is forced downwards, detent I1 is resiliently displaced towards its aperture II) in the flange II so that the closure can pass down, and as soon as detent II comes into line with aperture I4 it springs back into place as shown in the drawing, thereby locking the closure on the container. This resilient effect may alternatively be attained wholly or in part by resilient displacement of flange I3, depending upon the relative stiffness of the various parts. In the preferred arrangement most of the parts are made of sheet metal and of metal sections, and although the invention is particularly applicable to sheet metal containers, it may also be applied to containers of any other material and having closure-locking parts, in accordance with the invention, made of metal, or other convenient material.

The flange I3 stifiens the container and the outer part shields the detent against unauthorised access by the instruments which by-pass the seal by deforming the closure and insertion as indicated by arrow 32.

It is preferred to have an enlarged opening 20 in the outer part of the closure, and a seal may be applied as shown in chain-dotted lines at 2| with, for example, the packers marking thereon.

To remove the closure it is necessary first to break the seal 2I and then to insert an elongated metal instrument which engages the hole I8 (which is smaller than the outer holes to facilitate breaking off) and by side movement causes the detent to break off at its root Ma. The retention of detent I1 to the surrounding metal is weakened as shown at root IIa so that slight bending of the detent will cause fracture there. As soon as detent I7 is broken the closure can freely be removed. It will be obvious that removal of the closure can only be made by causing permanent damage to the closure, so that any unauthorised removal will be clearly evident. I

If it is desired to reutilise the closure, a fresh flange II may be applied thereto, and of course after repacking a fresh seal will be applied at 2|.

Any number of closure locking arrangements in accordance with the invention may be provided between the closure and container but preferably they are provided at the corners where the material of the container is stiffest. For examplev 3 rangement shown in these figures taking the place of flange I I. In Fig. 5 an angle piece 22 is provided with an aperture 23 and an upturned flange 24, and it is secured to a second angle piece 25, for example, by spot welding, and the second angle piece has a downturned flange 26. Flanges 24 and 26 together with the part 22 furnish a guide for a slidably removable base 21 having welded thereto a detent part 28, the detent proper 29 being constructed as described with reference to Fig. 2. A projection 30 is provided on angle piece 23 so as to position base 21 when slid into position.

It will thus be evident that when a detent 29 has been broken, base 21 can be withdrawn and a new base and detent slid into position. The whole arrangement may be secured to the closure through apertures 3|, for example, by rivets.

Although in the foregoing embodiment the detent has been provided on the closure, the detent may instead be provided on the container or a part secured thereto and the whole arrangement constructed as a mechanical inversion to these shown.

It is also preferred that the detent and co-op crating parts are located at inwardly disposed parts which are protected from outside interference by the container and closure, as will be clear from Fig. 2, but in a modification, s'ufli'cient protection against unauthorised access may be obtained by providing the detent and co-op'erat'ing parts at the external wall of the container, being screened from the exterior by the closure and a seal thereon.

A check that locking has been efiected can be made by observation through apertures 20 and I 6, prior to sea-ling. The-sealing disc may be secured by soldering, welding or otherwise.

The inner part of the closure may carry on its under or inner side a shock-absorbing pad to assist packing firmness. Moreover the detent and the various apertures and cover plate may be or any desired shape, circular or non-circular.

In a modification, the detent is resiliently, but

displa'ceably, mounted on the inner part of the closure, being urged outward-1y by spring means attached to the closure. In this way, when one detent is broken off to remove the closure, a new detent and spring can be attached. to enable the closure to be used again.

In a further modification the external flange (Fig. 2-) on the closure may not necessarily be provided, and the sealing can be efiected on the external part of the container.

In a further modification the "detent may be made as-a leaf spring.

In a further modification the parts may be made as pressings'castings or mouldings in metal or other material.

I claim:

1. In combination, in a c'ontain'e'r having a closure therefor, a side wall on said container having an aperture therein, an element carried rigidly by said container side wall but spaced inwardly therefrom, said container element being resilient at its lower part and having an aperture opposite the aperture in the container side wall, an outer depending 'wall'o'n said closure adapted to fit outside the container side wall and having an aperture therein opposite the apertures in the container side wall and element, an inner rigid depending element on said closure adapted to fit inside the container element and spaced inwardly from said outer wall, a detent punched partly out of said closure element and 'bent outwardly therefrom opposite said apertures, said container element being resiliently displaced outwardly when the closure is forced on to the container until the aperture therein comes into line with said detent, whereupon said container element springs back into place and the aperture therein is engaged by said detent, thereb rendering separation of the closure from the container, otherwise than by breaking ofi said detent, impossible without effecting damage to said closure and/or container.

2. In combination, in a container having a closure therefor, a side wall on said container having an aperture therein, an inturned dependent resilient flange on the container side wall spaced inwardly therefrom, and having an aperture opposite the aperture in the container side wall, a rigid distance piece between the flange and the container side wall in order rigidly to space the upper part of the flange from the side wall, an outer depending wall on said closure adapted to fit outside the container side wall and having an aperture therein, opposite the apertures in the container side wall and element, an inner rigid depending element on said closure adapted to fit inside the container element and spaced inwardly from said outer wall, a detent punched partly out of said closure element and bent outwardly therefrom opposite said apertures, said container element being resiliently displaced outwardly, when the closure is forced on to the container, until the aperture therein comes into line with'said detent, whereupon said container element springs back into place and the aperture therein is engaged by said detent, thereby rendering separation of the closure from the container, otherwise than by breaking off said detent, impossible without efiecting damage to said closure and/or container.

3. In combination, in a container having a closure therefor, a side wall on said container having an aperture therein, an element carried rigidly by said container side wall but spaced inwardly therefrom, said container element being resilient at its lower part and having an aperture opposite the aperture in the container side wall, an outer depending wall on said closure adapted to fit outside the container side wall and having an aperture therein opposite the apertures in the container side Wall and element, an inner rigid depending element on said closure adapted to fit inside the container element and spaced inwardly from said outer wall, detent means removably mounted on said inner rigid element and removable only from the interior of the closure, said detent means being bent outwardly from said closure element opposite said apertures, said container element being capable of yielding resiliently, when the closure is forced on to the container, to permit sa'id detent to pass down adjacent said container element until it comes'into line with the aperture therein, whereupon said container element springs back into place and the aperture therein is engaged by said detent, thereby rendering separation of the closure from 'thecontainer, otherwise than by breaking ofi said detent, impossible without 'efie'c-ting damage to said closure and/or container.

4.111 combination, in a container having a closure therefor, a side wall *on said container having an aperture therein, an element carried rigidly by said container side wall 'but spaced inwardly therefrom, said container elemen't being resilient at its lower part and ha ving an aperture 5 opposite the aperture in the container side wall, an outer depending wall on said closure adapted to fit outside the container side wall and having an aperture therein, opposite the apertures in the container side wall and element, an inner rigid depending element on said closure adapted to fit inside the container element and spaced inwardly from said outer wall, detent supporting means removably attached to said inner rigid element and being removable in a direction transversely of the direction of removal of the closure from the container, a detent secured to said detent supporting means opposite the said apertures and bent theretowards, said container element being capable of yielding resiliently, when the closure is forced on to the container, to permit said detent to pass down adjacent said container element until it comes into line with the aperture therein, whereupon said container element springs back into place and the aperture therein is engaged by said detent, thereby rendering separation of the closure from the container otherwise than by breaking 01f said detent, impossible without efiecting damage to said closure and/ or container.

5. In combination, in a container having a closure therefor, a side Wall on said container having an aperture therein, an element carried rigidly by said container side wall but spaced inwardly therefrom, said container element being resilient at its lower part and having an aperture opposite the aperture in the container side wall, an outer depending wall on said closure adapted to fit outside the container side wall and having an aperture therein, opposite the apertures in the container side wall and element, an inner rigid depending element on said closure adapted to fit inside the container element and spaced inwardly from said outer wall, a detent punched partly out of said closure element and bent outwardly therefrom opposite said aperture, said container element being capable of yielding resiliently, when the closure is forced on to the container, to permit said detent to pass down adjacent said container element until it comes into line with the aperture therein whereupon said container element springs back into place and the aperture therein is engaged by the detent, and a seal applied over the aperture in the outer depending wall on the closure, thereby rendering separation of the closure from the container, otherwise than by breaking the seal and breaking off said detent, impossible without effecting damage to said closure and/or container.

JOHN GIBB MAITLAND.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 353,014 Briggs Nov. 23, 1886 1,021,165 Sehrt Mar. 26, 1912 1,080,859 Stamm Dec. 9, 1913 1,160,611 Hudson Nov. 16, 1915 1,910,074 Wells May 23, 1933 2,065,908 Pihl Dec. 29, 1936 2,446,141 Parsons July 27, 1948 

